Track fullness system



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 1962 M671 6 3 1; 17 178 MDPI? ow Ma M msw f WU UPB w P 4 W My H 2 ww,

191.5 ETWOEMEY Aug. 29, 1967 Filed May 21. 1962 C E. STAPLES TRACK FULLNESS SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY 4 i -$4 c. E. STAPLES 3,339,068

TRACK FULLNESS SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 29, 1967 Filed May 21, 1962 w .W .R WE \kMR m \KNR Q Q i1 LIL/Q smu 71.- W k m n \QN E I m5 m ifi 3 m E Q m: E m fi w L w w E K5: illlY w A RQQEQ United States Patent Ofifice 3,339,%8 Patented Aug. 29, 1957 3,339,068 TRACK FULLNESS SYSTEM Crawford E. Staples, Edgewood, Pa, assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wiirnerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 196,231 10 Claims. (Cl. 246122) My invention relates to a track fullness system, and more particularly to a system for determining and indicating the distance cars being classified in a railway car classification yard of the gravity type have to travel in each storage track to couple with the last car previously routed to such track.

In the most modern railway car classification systems, railway yards of the gravity or hump type are employed and the railway cars to be classified are moved over the crest of the hump by a switching locomotive and thereafter proceed to their respective classification or storage tracks in the yard under the influence of gravity. In order that the cars will travel to couple with the preceding cars in their respective storage tracks but will not couple with an excessive impact, track brakes or car retarders are provided in each route to provide the correct retardation for each cut of one or more cars traversing the retarders and thereby provide the desired operation. Computers are employed to determine the correct amount of retardation for each cut and various variable factors such as cut weight, rolling resistance, etc. of each cut are supplied to the computers in order that a complete computation may be made.

Among the various factors to be considered by a computer in making a computation of the correct leaving speed of a cut from a retarder, in order that it will travel to couple without excessive impact with preceding cars, is the number of cars already in the destined storage track for the cut or, more correctly stated, the distance for the cut to travel to couple. Many of the track fullness systems heretofore employed in railway car classification yards make use of car-counting or axle counting devices to determine the number of cars that have been routed to each track, and thereby provide a measurement of the fullness of each individual track. However, the number of cars routed to each particular storage track is not always indicative of the distance to travel to couple with preceding cars in a storage track since a previous car cut routed to that track could have stopped short of its destination and thereby have reduced the distance to travel to couple for the next car cut to be routed to that track.

Since the factor of the distance to travel in any particular storage track to which a car cut is routed in a classification yard must be known prior to the entrance of the cut into the last retarder in the respective route for the cut in order to compute the proper retardation for the cut when traversing that retarder, it is apparent that a car cut may be enroute between the retarder and the entrance end of its respective storage track when it is desired to make a computation for a second car out enroute to that particular track. It is therefore essential for correct track fullness computations that each car cut enroute between a retarder and the respective storage track for the cut, be considered in the distance to travel computations.

In the copending application for Letters Patent of the United States, Ser. No. 78,557, filed, Dec. 27, 1960, by Edd C. Dwyer and Benjamin Mishelevich for Track Fullness System, such application being assigned to the assignee of the present application, there is shown a track fullness system employing axle or car counting means to provide continuous indication of the track fullness of each storage track in a railway car classification yard, and cycling apparatus comprising a stepping switch and associated relays, for periodically and sequentially selecting each track, measuring the distance to travel in each st rage track and correcting the track fullness information provided by the counting means in accordance with each respective distance to travel measurement. However, in such a system, where track fullness measurements in all the tracks in a classification yard are continuously sequentially made, many unnecessary operations of the cycling apparatus, the track selection means, and the distance to travel measuring means are performed. This is especially true in yards where certain classification tracks are employed for storage of most cars and other classification tracks are seldom used. Such unnecessary operations result in excessive wear and tear on equipment.

It is accordingly one object of my invention to provide a composite track fullness system, similar to that disclosed in said copending application, but wherein no continuously operating cycling apparatus is employed, and the operations of the apparatus for making distance to travel measurements and the operations of the apparatus for correcting track fullness information are kept to a bare minimum.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved track fullness or distance to travel system that maintains track fullness information that is more up-todate than that provided by previous systems.

In accomplishing the foregoing object of my invention, I employ axle or car counting means to provide continuous information of the track fullness of each storage track, and means for correcting the track fullness information of each storage track in accordance with a distance to travel measurement made in response to each car cut entering the yard and destined to travel to such storage track.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

I shall first describe one embodiment of my invention and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, FIGS. 2 through 5 when arranged as shown in FIG. 1, comprise a diagrammatic view of track fullness or distance to travel apparatus embodying my invention.

There is shown in FIG. 2 a section of a classification yard of the gravity type into which railway cars enter from the direction of the hump indicated by the arrow in the upper left-hand corner of the drawing. Railway cars traversing the section of the yard shown enter a stretch of railway track comprising a track section A1T. A second stretch of track indicated in the drawing by dotted lines is shown joining track section A1T to a third track stretch comprising track sections CT and R1T (FIG. 3), and a fourth stretch of track also shown by dotted lines joins track section RlT to a fourth track section AT.

Track section AT connects through first and second trackswitches AW and BW, respectively, to each of a plurality of track sections in approach to the yard storage or classification tracks in the yard. That is, when switch AW occupies its normal position, as shown in the drawing, railway cars moving from the hump are routed through track section AT to a track section 1AT in approach of a storage track or track section 1T. When switch AW occupies its opposite or reverse position, the cars are routed over switch BW in its normal position, as shown in the drawing, to a track section 2AT in approach of a storage track or track section 2T. When switches AW and BW both occupy their reverse positions, the cars are routed to a track section 3AT in approach of a storage track or track section 3T.

The rails of each of the track sections AIT, CT, RIT, IAT, 2AT and 3AT are each insulated from tthe rails of the track stretches or sections to the left and right thereof by insulated rail joints shown in the drawing in the conventional manner by short lines drawn perpendicularly across the rails. Each of these track sections is provided with a track circuit including the rails of the section, and a track battery and track relay both connected across the rails in such a manner that each relay is normally energized, that is, is in its picked-up position when the rails of the respective track section are not shunted by the wheels and axle or axles of a railway car. The track relays and track batteries for each such track section are designated by reference characters R and B, respectively, prefixed by the reference character for the respective track section. The purpose of such track relays will be discussed later in this description.

The rails of each of the storage tracks 1T, 2T and 3T are insulated from the rails of track sections lAT, 2AT and 3AT, respectively, by insulated joints, also shown in the drawing by short lines drawn perpendicularly across the rails, and each of the storage tracks is provided with an alternating current track circuit or loop circuit including the secondary winding of a track transformer, a resistor, the rails of the storage track and a conductor connected across the rails of the storage track at the end thereof remote from track section AT. This loop circuit for storage track 1T extends from one side of the secondary winding of a transformer lTT through a resistor RS1T, one of the rails of the storage track, a conductor 7, and the other rail of the storage track to the other side of the secondary winding of transformer 1TT. The circuit for storage track 2T extends from a first side of the secondary winding of a transformer 2TT, through a resistor RS2T, one of the rails of a storage track, a conductor 8, and the other rail of the storage track to the second side of the secondary winding of transformer 2T1. Similarly, the circuit for storage track 3T extends from one side of the secondary winding of transformer 3TT through a resistor RS3T, one of the rails of the track, a conductor 9, and the other rail of the track to the other side of the secondary winding of transformer 3TT. The primary windings of transformers lTT, ZTT and 3TT are each connected across the terminals of an alternating current source such as a generator or a commercial source of alternating current. However, for purposes of simplicity the source is not shown in the drawings, but its terminals are designated BX and NX. The purpose of the track loop circuits will be discussed later in this description.

It is believed expedient 'at this point in the description to discuss several conventions employed in the drawings.

First, energy for the operation of the direct current apparatus, other than the previously discussed track relays, is furnished by a suitable source of control current, preferably a battery of proper voltage and capacity. For the sake of simplicity this power source is not shown in the drawings but its positive and negative terminals are identified by reference characters B and N, respectively.

Secondly, several of the relays shown in the drawings are slow acting, that is, slow to release or slow to pick up. The windings of these relays are shown in the drawings by geometric rectangles, in the conventional manner, and the contacts of such relays are shown with an arrow drawn vertically through the movable portions of the contacts with the head of the arrow pointed in the direction that the contacts are slow acting.

Thirdly, the relay contacts are in most instances not disposed on the drawings directly below the geometric rectangles representing the respective relay windings but, where the contacts are not so disposed, the reference character designating the respective relay winding controlling each contact appears on the drawing directly above each contact or group of contacts. This arrangement is readily apparent from a brief inspection of the drawings.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it should be pointed out that track section CT is a computer track section used to control the computation of a proper leaving speed for each cut of railway cars when leaving a car retarder not shown but assumed to be located in track section RlT. However, the details of the leaving speed computation control form no part of my present invention and, therefore, it is not necessary to show any apparatus associated with track section CT for computer control except track relay CTR. Further, the details of said assumed car retarder and its control form no part of the present invention and it is therefore not shown in the drawings. It should also be pointed out that in actual practice additional track sections may be located between track sections A1T and CT, and between track sections RIT and AT, and that track section AT may be provided with one or more track circuits. However, the details of this portion of the track layout also form no part of my present invention. Furthermore, as is well known, in actual yards a considerably larger number of storage tracks than three are employed, but for the purpose of simplicity, I have illustrated my invention showing only three yard classification or storage tracks.

There is shown located on one rail in track section RlT a wheel actuated instrument or contactor designated TRC and employed to count the axles of cars traversing the track section. The details of this contactor do not constitute part of my invention, but the contactor may be of any suitable type such as, for example, that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,818,970, issued Aug. 18, 1931, to Harold C. Clausen for Track Rail Contactor. It is sufficient for the purpose of this description to point out that contactor TRC is provided with a normally open contact a that is momentarily actuated to a closed position by the passage of each wheel on one side of the railway cars traversing track section R1T. Contact a of contactor TRC is used to control a circuit for actuation of axle counting devices as hereinafter described. While I have shown the use of a wheel actuated device for determining the length of the car cuts by obtaining a counting of the number of cars traversing track section R1T, each four actuations of the device being assumed to represent one car, it is to be understood that other apparatus, such as photoelectric cells, track circuit arrangements, etc., can be employed for counting cars and thereby determining cut length in manners well known in the art, and that my invention is not intended to be restricted to the use of a wheel actuated device for car counting.

The windings of two relays designated WSlP andWS2P are shown in FIG. 3 by dotted line rectangles since the details of the control of these relays do not constitute part of my invention. These relays are switch control storage repeater relays and for purposes of this description may be considered to be controlled similarly to relays WSlP and WS2P shown in FIG. 3C of the copending patent application of Emil F. Brinker and David P. Fitzsimmons,

, Ser. No. 49,379, filed on Aug. 12, 1960, for Automatic Control System for Railway Classification Yards, assigned to the assignee of the present application and now Patent No. 3,226,541, issued Dec. 28, 1965. It is sufiicient for purpose of this description to point out that relay WS1P repeats the switch control storage for the first switch in any route and relay WS2P repeats the switch control storage for the second switch in any route. That is, relay WSlP remains released when the first switch in a route for a cut of railway cars is to remain in or is to be controlled to its normal position for aligning the route for the cut and is energized when said first switch is to be controlled to its reverse position for aligning said route. Similarly, relay WS2P remains released when the second switch in a route for a car cut is to remain in or is to be controlled to its normal position for aligning the route for the cut and is energized when said second switch is to be controlled to its reverse position for aligning such route. In the yard shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, therefore, relay WSIP would remain released when a cut of railway cars to be routed from the hump to storage track 1T over switch AW normal traverses the track stretch shown and would be energized when the cut is to be routed to storage tracks 2T and 3T over switch AW in its reverse posi tion. Relay WS2P would remain released when the cut is to be routed to storage track 2T over switch BW in its normal position and would be energized when the cut is destined for storage track 3T over switch BW in its reverse position. Reference is made to said patent for a complete understanding of the control of relays WSlP and WSZP, if such is desired.

Before entering into a detailed description of the overall scheme comprising my invention it is believed that it may be well to describe in some detail several of the components employed therein and the mode of operation of such components.

A plurality of relays designated 1-3ASDR, 1-3A1CR, 1-3A2CR and 1-3A3CR are shown in FIG. 2 enclosed in a dotted line rectangle or block. These relays are employed, in conjunction with the apparatus of my invention, to provide track destination information for each railway car out entering the yard shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings of my invention and in themselves form no part of the invention. In Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,863,991, issued Dec. 9, 1958, to Benjamin Mishelevich for Automatic Control of Railway Classification Yard Track Switches, there is shown in FIG. 2a a series of relays designated 1-6A1CR through 1-6A6CR, and in FIG. 2b a relay designated 1-6ASDR. 'Ihese CR relays comprise relays in the last bank of an initial storage unit employed for storing route controls for aligning the routes in the yard shown in FIG. 1 of said patent. The relay 1-6ASDR is employed for controlling the energization of said CR relays at the proper time. The aforesaid relays 13A1CR, 1-3A2CR and 1-3A3CR shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings of the present application correspond to said CR relays of the Mishelevich patent, and relay 13ASDR corresponds to the 1-6ASDR relay of the patent. However, since only three storage or classification tracks are employed in the example of my present application only three such CR relays are necessary instead of the six such relays employed in the Mishelevich patent.

Referring again to FIG. 2 it may be seen that only that portion of the control circuits for relays 1-3ASDR, 1- 3A1CR, 13A2CR and 13A3CR leading to the negative terminal N of the battery are shown, contact a of relay 13ASDR corresponding to contact h of relay 16ASDR shown in FIG. 2b of the Mishelevich patent. Relay 1-3ASDR of the present application is controlled in part over back contact a of track relay AlTR to indicate that relay 1-3ASDR and consequently a predetermined one of the CR relays is to be energized when track section AlT is occupied by a cut of railway cars. It is believed suflicient for the purposes of this description to point out that relay 13A1CR only is energized when a route to storage track IT is to be aligned for a cut of cars traversing track section AlT, relay 13A2CR only is energized when the route for the cut is to storage track 2T and relay 1-3A3CR only is energized when the route for the cut is to storage track 3T. For a complete understanding of the operation of the circuits of the initial storage unit containing the said CR relays, reference should be made to the above-cited Mishelevich Patent No. 2,863,991. A description of the apparatus controlled by ralays 1-3A1CR, 1-3A2CR and 1-3A3CR will be made hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown in FIG. 3 a motion detector including a full-wave rectifier RC and a ditferentiator DIP, and in FIG. 4 a servomechanism SVM having input terminals a and b. One of the input terminals of rectifier RC is connected with input terminal a of servomechanism SVM over a conductor designated 10, and is also connected in multiple with the heels of front contacts d of a plurality of destination relays 1C, 2C and SC, to be described. The front contact points of said contacts a of relays 1C, 2C and 3C are connected to one rail of track section 1T, 2T and 3T, respectively, adjacent the connections of the respective track transformers 1TT, 2IT and 3TI to the rails of each respective track section. The other input terminal of rectifier RC is connected with input terminal I; of servomechanism SVM over a conductor 11 and is also connected in multiple to each of the other rails of track sections 1T, 2T and ST adjacent the connections of the respective track transformers to the rails. The positive output terminal of rectifier RC is connected to an input terminal a on ditferentiator DIF, and the negative output terminal of rectifier RC is connected to an input terminal b on the difierentiator. The rectifier RC and the difierentiator DIF are employed to detect, at separate times, the movement of cars in each of the track sections 1T, 2T and 3T, and the servomechanism SVM produces at separate times values of output voltages or signals proportional to the track fullness of each track section 1T, 2T and ST. This will become more apparent later.

For motion detection and distance to travel measurements in each of the storage tracks or track sections 1T, 2T and 3T, I employ the principle that the impedance of a section of railway track from a source of alternating current connected across the rails at a first point in a track stretch to a shunt across the rails at a second point in the stretch is approximately proportional to the distance between the connections of said source to the rails and the shunt. For an example, if an alternating current source of 60 cycles per second is connected across the rails of a stretch of track, and a shunt is connected across the rails or the wheels and axle of a railway car shunt the track stretch at a distance of 2000 feet from the connections to the rails of the alternating current source, the track circuit impedance of the 2000-foot section of track is approximately 0.40 ohm at infinite track ballast resistance and approximately 0.35 ohm at a ballast resistance of 1 ohm per 1000 feet. Assuming that a resistor having a resistance of approximately 10 ohms is connected between one side of the alternating current source and its connection to one of the rails of the track section, this resistance being large relative to the impedance of the described track circuit, the current through the resistor will remain approximately constant when a railway car shunts the rails at varying distances from the points of connection of the current source to the rails, but the value of voltage across the rails at said points of connection will vary approximately as the distance between such points and the nearest pair of wheels and axle of the railway car. Thus this value of voltage is indicative of the distance to travel between said points of connection of the alternating current source and the nearest railway car. It is readily apparent that, if said value of voltage is also continuously varying ,such varying voltage is indicative of car motion and it may be assumed that the nearest railway car is moving through the track section. As pointed out, storage tracks 1T, 2T and 3T are each provided with a loop track circuit arrangement which employs the principle just described.

Referring again to rectifier RC and differentiator DIF (FIG. 3), the input terminals of rectifier RC are connected at different times over front contacts d of relays 1C, 20 and 3C across the rails of storage tracks 1T, 2T and 3T respectively, when each such relay is energized in a manner to be hereinafter described. For the purpose of this part of the description it will be assumed that a railway car is moving through track section IT in a direction from left to right as shown in FIG, 3 and that relay 1C is energized and closes its front contact d, thereby connecting the alternating current voltage appearing across the rails of track section IT to the input terminals of rectifier RC. A corresponding direct current voltage appears at the output terminals of rectifier RC and is supplied to the input terminals a and b of differentiator DIF. This direct current voltage is at a minimum when the railway car first enters track section IT and gradually increases to its maximum value as the car advances further into track section IT. The diiferentiator DIF is shown in block diagram form since it may be one of several arrangements and its specific construction forms no part of my present invention. It is believed sufficientnfor this description to point out that the dilferentiator comprises circuits including values of constants such that a direct current voltage appears at output terminals and d of the difi'erentiator only when the voltage supplied to its input terminals is continuously varying in value. Differentiating circuits of the form herein employed are well known in the electrical art but for a complete description thereof reference may be made to Section III, chapter '5 of The Electronic Control Handbook, by Batcher & Moulic published in 1946 by Caldwell-Clements, Inc., New York, N.Y. The direct current output from terminals c and d of diflferentiator DIF is supplied across terminals a and b of the control winding of a meter type relay designated MDR, to be considered as part of the aforesaid motion detector and to be described.

As previously pointed out the input terminals a and b of servomechanism SVM (FIG. 4) are connected in multiple with the input terminals of rectifier RC over conductors and 11, respectively, and when any alternating current is supplied to said rectifier it is simultaneously supplied to the input of the servomechanism. The servomechanism SVM is of an electrically driven potentiometer type well known in the art and comprises an amplifier AMP, a servomotor M and first and second potentiometers designated SVlPOT and SVZPOT, respectively, the wiper arms of which are connected by means of suitable gearing to the shaft output of the servomotor as indicated by the dotted lines within the broken line rectangle enclosing the servomechanism. The servomechanism is also provided with input terminals 0, d, e and f and an output terminal g, in addition to the input terminals a and b to which the reference voltage from each respective track section 1T, 2T and 3T is supplied over said conductors 10 and 11. Potentiometer SVlPOT is a linear potentiometer supplied with alternating current across its winding from the same alternating current source as that employed to feed the loop track circuits in each of the storage tracks 1T, 2T and 3T. Terminals BX and NX of said alternating current source are connected to terminals 0 and d, respectively, on the servomechanism and these terminals are connected to opposite sides of the winding of potentiometer SVIPOT. The wiper arm of the potentiometer SVIPOT is connected to the input terminal 12 of the servomechanism. The input circuit of amplifier AMP is connected across input terminals a and d of the servomechanism. By this arrangement a resultant voltage equal to the difference between the voltage supplied to terminals a and b and the voltage supplied to terminals 0 and d of the servomechanism is supplied to the input of the amplifier. This resultant voltage is amplified until it is of sufiicient power to drive the two-phase motor M and the output from amplifier AMP is supplied to the control winding of the motor. The constant voltage winding of the motor is supplied with a voltage 90 out of phase with that supplied from the output of the amplifier, such phase shifted voltage being supplied across the constant voltage winding from terminals c and d of the servomechanism through a suitable phase shifting device shown as a capacitor designated CAP. The shaft of motor M is geared down through a suitable gearing arrangement and the output of the gearing arrangement is connected to the arm of potentiometers SVIPOT (and SVZPOT) as indicated in the drawings by the dotted lines previously mentioned. By this arrangement, if the voltage at the output of potentiometer SV1POT is not equal to the input voltage supplied to terminals a and b of the servomechanism the motor M rotates, moving the arm of potentiometer SV1POT to reduce the voltage input to amplifier AMP to zero.

Terminals e and f of servomechanism SVM are connected to terminals B and N, respectively, of the direct current source and across the winding of potentiometer SVZPOT in the servomechanism. The wiper arm of SVZPOT is connected to output terminal g of the servomechanism and there appears at the output terminal a potential or a signal comprising a value of voltage representative of the distance to travel in each respective storage track 1T, 2T and 3T to which the input terminal a of the servomechanism is selectively connected. The apparatus connected to output terminal g of the servomechanism will be discussed hereinafter.

Such servomechanism arrangements as that just de scribed are well known, but if a more complete description thereof is desired reference may be made to chapter 2 of servomechanism Practice, by William R. Ahrendt, published in 1954 by McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, NY. FIGS. 2-2 and 2-3 and the associated description in chapter 2 of said book are specifically applicable to the servomechanism arrangement herein described.

There is shown in FIG. 5 a plurality of two-direction impulse actuated recording devices here shown as electromagnetic motors designated TlRST, T2RST and TSRST, the rotor shafts of each of which are connected through suitable gearing arrangements to the arm of one of the plurality of potentiometers designated TFlPOT, TFZPOT and TESPOT, respectively, and to the actuating mechanism of one of a plurality of visual indicators designated TIVI, TZVI and T3VI, respectively. The shaft connections of each of the rotors to their respective associated apparatus is shown by dotted lines in the conventional manner. For purpose of simplicity, only the pole pieces and associated windings of motor TIRST are shown and will be described in any detail, it being understood that motors TZRST and T3RST are identical in construction and operation to motor TlRST.

Motor TlRST is provided with input terminals a, b and c, a rotor designated IR and two pole pieces designated 1PP and ZPP. Pole piece 1PP is provided with a control winding termed a normal winding and designated W1. Similarly, pole piece 2PP is provided with a control winding termed a reverse winding and designated W2. The ends of the winding W1 of the motor are connected to terminals a and b of the motor, and the ends of the winding W2 are connected to terminals b and c of the motor. Terminal b of the motor is connected to terminal N of the direct current source. When a pulse of energy from terminal B of the battery or direct current source is supplied, as hereinafter described, to terminal a of the motor, the motor rotor IR is actuated a partial revolution in a first direction, and when a pulse of energy from terminal B of the battery is supplied, as hereinafter described, to terminal 0 of the motor, the rotor IR is actuated a partial revoltion in the direction opposite to said first direction. Such pulse actuated motors are well known. For example, an electromagnetic motor of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,432,600 issued Dec. 16, 1947, to Sture Eduard Werner et al. for Electromagnetic Motor may be used for each of the motors T IRST, T2RST and TSRST shown in FIG. 5 of the present application. It is to be understood, however, that my invention is not to be confined to the use of such motors but any suitable bi-directional electrical impulse stepping device such as a rachet operated device, etc. can be used for each of the motors TlRST, T2RST and T3RST.

As previously stated, the rotor shaft of motor TIRST is connected by suitable driving means through a suitable gearing arrangement to the wiper arm of potentiometer TFiPOT, said arm thereby being moved in one direction when the rotor 1R of the motor is actuated by an impulse supplied to the winding'Wl of the motor and in the opposite direction when the rotor is actuated by an im pulse supplied to winding W2. The rotor shaft of the rotor of motor TIRST is also connected through suitable driving means to the actuating mechanism of visual indicator T1VI. This indicator is shown as displaying an arbitrarily selected number, 31, which as hereinafter described in greater detail, may be assumed to indicate the number of railway car spaces available in storage track IT or the number of railway cars already routed to that storage track, whichever indication is desired. Such visual indicators are Well known and, therefore, the details of its construction are not shown in the drawings. However, it should be pointed out that, since my system is shown using an axle counting or wheel actuated device for determining the number of cars routed to each storage track, the gearing arrangement of indicator TlVI is such that the number displayed thereby is changed only upon every four actuations of the rotor of motor TIRST in one direction or the other and the number displayed is changed to a lower or higher number in accordance with the direction of rotation of rotor 1R. If a car actuated arrangement is used for car counting, the gearing arrangement of the indicator would be such that the number displayed would be changed with each actuation of rotor 1R.

The electromagnetic impulse motors TZRST and TSRST are identical in construction to motor TIRST and each is provided with input terminals a, b and similar to motor TlRST. The visual indicators TZVI and T3V I controlled by th rotors 2R and SR of motors TZRST and T3RST, respectively, are shown displaying arbitrarily selected numbers 23 and 40, respectively, and similarly to indicator TlVI display car space available in the respective storage tracks 2T and 3T or the number of cars already routed to such storage track, as desired. For the purpose of the remainder of this description the indicators will be assumed to display the number of cars already routed to each respective track.

A plurality of manually operable circuit controllers comprising spring return push buttons designated IPB, 2PB and 3PB are shown in FIG. 2. Each of these push buttons is provided with a normally open contact a which is actuated to a closed position when the respective push button is depressed as indicated by the arrow head on the movable portion of each such contact. When each push button is depressed the spring indicated by the letter S on each push button returns contact a of that push button to its normally open position as soon as the push button is released.

There is shown in FIG. 2 a time element or time delay relay designated TTER. Such time element relays are well known in the art and relay lTER is provided with one or more front contacts which are normally open and are controlled to closed positions only after a predetermined time interval following the energization of the control winding of the relay, and one or more back contacts which are normally closed and are controlled to open positions following said predetermined time interval. The contacts of relay ITER are, therefore, indicated in the drawings as slow pickup contacts. Upon deenergization of the control winding of such relay, following a period of energization thereof, the front and back contacts of the relay are immediately controlled to their open and closed positions, respectively.

In addition to the neutral type relays and the time element relays shown in the drawings in the conventional manner by geometric rectangles representing the windings of the relays, there is shown in FIG. 3, enclosed in a broken line rectangle, the coils and a contact of the previously mentioned relay MDR. In FIG. 4, there are shown the coils and contacts of each of two relays designated SUR and ADR. The coils and contacts of each of these respective relays are also enclosed in dotted line rectangles. Each of the relays MDR, SUR and ADR may be of any suitable type sufficiently sensitive to be actu ated by a voltage of the order, for example, of 1.5 volts. For the purpose of this description, I have illustrated these relays as being meter-relays of a type manufactured by Assembly Products, Inc. whose address is 75 Wilson Mills Road, Chesterland, Ohio. Each of said meter-relays is thus illustrated as having a signal coil and a locking it coil. It is to be understood, however, that my invention is not intended to be confined to the use of the relays of such manufacture nor of the type illustrated but any other type of relay suitable for the use described may be employed.

Relay MDR (FIG. 3) is provided with a signal coil designated SC and a locking coil designated LC having an associated contact a. One side of the coil SC is connected to a terminal a on the relay and the other side of that coil is connected to a terminal 12 on the relay. Similarly, one side of coil LC is connected directly to a terminal d, and the other side of that coil is connected to a terminal c on the relay when said contact a associated with the coil is in its closed position. Contact a normally occupies its open position. Relays SUR and ADR (FIG. 4) are identical in construction to relay MDR and, therefore, it is not necessary to describe their internal circuit arrangement.

When a voltage signal is supplied to terminals a and b of relay MDR (FIG. 3) from the output terminals 0 and d of differentiator DIF, the signal coil SC of the relay is energized and contact a associated with relay coil LC is actuated to its closed position if the signal comprises a voltage, as in the previous example, in excess of 1.5 volts. If energy from a source of current is supplied across terminals 0 and d of the relay MDR when contact a is closed, coil LC serves to lock contact a in its closed position until the supply of current to that locking coil is interrupted. Contact a remains locked closed regardless of the interruption of the energizing current to the signal coil SC of the relay. This operation of the relay will become more apparent later in this description. Relays SUR and ADR operate in a manner similar to relay MDR as will be apparent hereinafter.

Having described the details and operation of various components employed in my invention, I will now describe the apparatus controlling and controlled by said components to form the overall combination and the operation of such circuits and apparatus.

Since the majority of the relays employed in my invention and not already discussed are shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, I will now describe the apparatus and the operation thereof shown in' such figure.

The previously mentioned first, second and third track destination relays are shown in FIG. 2. These relays are designated 1C, 2C and 3C, respectively, and repeat the operation of the route storage relays 13A1CR, 1-3A2CR and 1-3A3CR, respectively, in the previously discussed route storage unit. Relay 1C has a first pickup circuit extending from terminal B of the battery through the winding of the relay and over front contact a of relay 13A1CR to battery terminal N. Relay 1C has a second pickup circuit extending from battery terminal B through the winding of the relay, contact a of push button lPB, and over the back point of contact a of relay 1-3ASDR to battery terminal N. Thus, relay 1C becomes picked up whenever relay 13A1CR becomes picked up, or whenever relay 1-3ASDR is released and push button 1PB is depressed.

Relays 2C and 3C have pickup circuits similar to that just described for relay 1C and controlled by contacts a of relays 13A2CR and 1-3A3CR, respectively, and contacs a of push buttons ZPB and SP3, respectively, and no detailed tracing of these circuits is necessary. It is sufficient to point out that relay 2C becomes picked up whenever relay Il3A2CR becomes picked up, or whenever relay 1-3ASDR is released and push button 2PB is depressed. Similarly, relay 3C becomes picked up whenever relay 13A3CR becomes picked up, or whenever relay 13ASDR is released and push button 3PB is depressed.

A series of three relays designated A01, A02, and A03 are also shown in FIG. 2. These relays are area occupancy relays associated with storage tracks 1T, 2T and ST, respectively Relay A01 has a pickup circuit extending from terminal B of the battery over back contact a of track relay CTR, previously mentioned, the back point of contact of relay WSlP, previously discussed, and through the winding of relay A01 to battery terminal N. Relay A01 is provided with a stick circuit extending from battery terminal B over front contact a of track relay 1ATR, previously mentioned, the front point of contact a of relay A01, and through the winding of relay A01 to battery terminal N. Thus, relay A01 becomes picked up whenever relays CTR and WSIP are both released and, once picked up, remains in that position so long as relay lATR remains picked up.

Relay A02 has a pickup circut extending from battery terminal B over back contact a of track relay CTR, the front point of contact 0 of relay WS1P, the back point of contact 0 of relay WSZP, and through the winding of relay A02 to battery terminal N. Relay A02 is provided with a stick circuit extending from terminal B of the battery over front contact a of track relay ZATR, the front point of contact a of relay A02, and through the winding of relay A02 to battery terminal N. Thus, relay A02 becomes picked up whenever relays CTR and WSZP are released and relay WSlP is picked up and, once picked up, remains picked up so long as relay 2ATR remains picked up.

Relay A03 has a pickup circuit extending from battery terminal B over back contact a of track relay CTR, the front point of contact 0 of relay WS1P, the front point of contact c of relay WSZP, and through the winding of relay A03 to battery terminal N. Relay A03 is provided with a stick circuit extending from battery terminal B over front contact a of track relay 3ATR, the front point of contact a of relay A03, and through the winding of relay A03 to battery terminal N. Relay A03 is, therefore, picked up whenever relay CTR is released and relays WSIP and WSZP are both picked up and, once picked up remains picked up so long as relay 3ATR remains picked up.

The previously discussed time delay relay lTER. (FIG. 2) has three energizing circuits, the first extending from battery terminal B over front contact a of track relay lATR, the back point of contact a of relay A01, front contact a of relay 10, back contact a of relay MDPR, to be discussed, and through the winding or relay ITER to battery terminal N. The second energizing circuit for relay ITER extends from battery terminal B over front contact a of track relay ZATR, the back point of contact a of relay A02, front contact a of relay 2C, back contact a of relay MDPR and through the winding of relay lTER to battery terminal N. The third energizing circuit for relay ITER extends from battery terminal B over front contact a of track relay 3ATR, the back point of contact a of relay A03, front contact a of relay 3C, back contact a of relay MDPR and through the winding of relay lTER to battery terminal N. Relay lTER is, therefore, energized whenever relay MDPR and A01 are released and relays 1C and lATR are picked up; whenever relays MDPR and A02 are released and relays 2C and ZATR are picked up; and whenever relays MDPR and A03 are released and relays 3C and 3ATR are picked up. Following the energization and the expiration of the time delay period of relay lTER, the front and back contacts of the relay are actuated to their closed and open positions, respectively, as previously set forth.

A pair of slow release relays CA and CB are shown in FIG. 4. This pair of relays forms code generating apparatus as will become apparent. Relay CA has a pickup circuit extending from battery terminal B over contact b of relay MDPR, front contacts 0 in multiple of relays ADPR and SUPR, to be discused, back contact a of relay CB and through the winding of relay CA to battery terminal N. Relay CB has a pickup circuit extending from battery terminal B, back contact b of relay MDPR, front contacts c in multiple of relays ADPR and SUPR, front contact a of relay CA and the winding of relay CB to battery terminal N. When relay MDPR is released and one of the relays ADPR and SUPR is energized, relays CA and CB start their code generating operation, relay CA first becoming picked up, thereby picking up relay CB. The picking up of relay CB opens the energizing circuit for relay CA and that relay releases following its slow-release delay period. The release of relay CB again closes the pickup circuit for relay CA which picks up and starts the code generating cycle over again. It is thus apparent that relays CA and CB continue their code generating action so long as one of the relays ADPR and SUPR remains picked up.

Winding W1 of recording device or electromagnetic motor T1RST (FIG. 5), previously discussed, has two energizing circuits, the first extending from battery terminal B in FIG. 3 over contact a of track instrument TRC, back contact a of relay ITER, the back point of contact a of switch control storage repeated relay WSIP, previously discussed, conductor 12, terminal a of motor TlRST, the winding W1, and terminal b of motor TlRST to battery terminal N. The second energizing circuit for winding W1 extends from battery terminal B (FIG. 3), front contact b of relay ADPR, to be discussed, front contact b of relay CA front contact b of relay 1C, conductor 12. and through winding W1 to battery terminal N. It is thus apparent that a pulse of energy is supplied to winding W1 of motor TlRST with each actuation of track instrument TRC by a wheel of a railway car, if relays WSlP and 1TER are released. A pulse of energy is also applied to winding W1 with each closure of front contact b of relay CA in its code generating operation, if relays ADPR and 1C are picked up.

Similar circuits are provided for supplying pulses of energy to terminals a of recording devices or motors TZRST and T3RST. This first circuit to terminal a of motor TZRST extends from battery terminal B, through contact a of of track contactor TRC, back contact a of relay ITER, the front point of contact a of relay WSIP, the back point of contact a of relay WSZP, and conductor 13 to terminal a of motor TZRST. The second circuit to terminal a of motor TZRST may be traced from battery terminal B, through front contact b of relay ADPR, front contact b of relay CA, front contact b of relay 2C and conductor 13 to said terminal a.

The first circuit to terminal a of motor T3RST extends from battery terminal B, through contact a of contactor TRC, back contact a of relay lTER, the front point of contact a of relay WSlP, the front point of contact a of relay WSZP, and conductor 14 to said terminal a. The second circuit to terminal a of motor T3RST extends from battery terminal B, through front contact b of relay ADPR, front contact b of relay CA, front contact b of relay 3C and conductor 14 to said terminal a.

By the circuits just described in the two preceding paragraphs it is apparent that a plus of energy from terminal B of the battery is supplied to terminal a of motor TZRST whenever contactor TRC is actuated by a car wheel, relay 1TER remains released, relay WSIP is picked up and relay WS2P is released; or whenever relay CA closes its front contact b in its coding operation and relays ADPR and 2C are energized. Similarly, a pulse of energy from terminal B of the battery is supplied to terminal a of motor T 3RST whenever contactor TRC is ac tuated, relay lTER remains released, and relays W811? and WSZP are picked up; or whenever relay CA closes its front contact b in its code generating operation and relays ADPR and 3C are picked up.

Winding W2 of electromagnetic motor TlRST (FIG. 5) has a single energizing circuit, extending from battery terminal B through front contact b of relay SUPR, to be discussed, front contact 0 of relay CA, front contact c of relay 1C, terminal 0 of motor TlRST, and the winding W2 of the motor and terminal b of the motor to battery terminal N. Pulses of energy are thus supplied to winding W2, by the coding operation of contact 0 of relay CA, whenever relays SUPR and 1C are picked up.

Pulses of energy from terminal B of the battery are supplied to terminal of motor TZRST by a single circuit extending from battery terminal B through front contact I; of relay SUPR, front contact 0 of relay CA, and front contact 0 of relay 2C. Thus the coding action of front contact c of relay CA supplies energy pulses to terminal 0 of motor TZRST whenever relays SUPR and 2C are picked up.

Pulses of energy from terminal B of the battery are supplied to terminal 0 of motor TSRST by a single circuit extending from battery terminal B through frint contact b of relay SUPR, front contact 0 of relay CA and front contact c of relay 3C to said terminal 0. By this circuit the coding action of front contact c of relay CA supplies energy pulses to terminal 0 of motor TSRST whenever relays SUPR and 3C are picked up.

It is to be understood that the pulses of energy supplied from battery terminal B to terminals a of motors TZRST and T3RST fiow through a winding in each respective motor, similar to winding W1 in motor TlRST, to battery terminal N, and thereby drive the rotors 2R and SR of motors TZRST and T3RST, respectively, in a normal or first direction. Similarly, the pulses of energy supplied to terminals c of motors TZRST and T3RST from terminal B of the battery flow through a Winding in each respective motor, similar to winding W2 in motor TlRST, to battery terminal N, and thereby drive rotors 2R and 3R of each respective motor in a reverse or second direction opposite to said first direction.

Referring further to FIG. 3, there is shown the previously mentioned motion detector repeater relay designated MDPR and considered as part of the previously discussed motion detector. This relay has one side of its control Winding connected to terminal 0 of the motion detector meter-relay MDR, previously discussed, and the other side of its control winding connected to terminal B of the battery. In this manner relay MDPR is provided with a pickup circuit which extends from terminal B of the battery through the winding of the relay, terminal 0 of meter-relay MDR, contact a associated with the locking coil LC of relay MDR, through the locking coil, terminal d of relay MDR, and in multiple over front contacts 1 of relays 1C, 2C and 3C to battery terminal N. Relay MDPR is thus energized Whenever one of the relays 1C, 2C and 3C is picked up and contact a associated with looking coil LC of relay MDR is closed.

One side of the control Winding of the previously mentioned slow-release relay SUPR (FIG. 4) is connected to terminal 0 of meter-relay SUR, previously discussed, and the other side of the control winding is connected to battery terminal B. Similarly, one side of the control winding of the previously mentioned slow-release relay ADPR (FIG. 4) is connected to terminal 0 of previously discussed meter-relay ADR and the other side of the Winding is connected to battery terminal B. The control circuit for relay SUPR then extends from battery terminal B through the control winding of relay SUPR, terminal 0 of relay SUR, contact a and the locking coil LC of relay SUR, terminal (I of relay SUR, and in multiple over back contacts b and d of relays CB and CA, respectively, to battery terminal N. The control circuit for relay ADPR extends from battery terminal B through the winding of relay ADPR, terminal c of relay ADR, contact a and locking coil LC of relay ADR, terminal d of relay ADR, and in multiple over back contacts [2 and d of relays CB and CA, respectively, to battery terminal N. The energization of either of the relays SUPR or ADPR starts, at times, the code generating operation of relays CA. Since CB and back contacts b and d of relays CB and CA, respectively, are, at times during such operation, both open, relays SUPR and ADPR are made sufliciently slow to release so that they will bridge the period of time that the back contacts of both of the relays CB and CA are open. That is, the front contacts of Whichever of the relays SUPR or ADPR is picked up Will not open during the period both relays CB and CA are picked up unless the locking coil contact a of the respective relay SUR and ADR remains open due to the interruption of the supply of energy to the locking coil of the relay SUR or ADR when said back contacts of relays CB and CA are both open. It is believed that an example of the operation of relay SUR and its repeater relay SUPR will be expedient at this point in the description, it being understood that relay ADR and its repeater relay ADPR operate in a similar manner.

When a signal having a sutficient value, such as for example, a signal having a value of 1.5 volts, is supplied across terminals a and b of relay SUR, the signal coil SC of relay SUR is energized to such a degree that contact a associated with locking coil LC is actuated to its closed position. When contact a closes the locking coil LC of relay SUR is energized in series With the winding of repeater relay SUPR over the circuit including the back contacts b and d of relays CB and CA, respectively. Assuming that the energization of relay SUPR starts the code generating action of relays CA and CB, said back contacts b and d of these relays are simultaneously open periodically during the cycles of such code generating action, thereby interrupting the supply of current to the locking coil LC and the winding of relay SUPR. Contact a of relay SUR is temporarily forced open by spring pressure upon such current interruption but is immediately reactuated to its closed position by the signal supplied to the signal coil SC, providing such signal is still of a value of 1.5 volts or greater. The slow-release feature of relay SUPR maintains that relay picked up during the open periods of said contact a of relay SUR, and during the open periods of said back contacts b and d of relays CB and CA. In other words, said back contacts of relays CB and CA periodically open the energizing circuit for the locking coil LC of relay SUR and the Winding of relay SUPR, to determine if the signal supplied to the signal coil SC of relay SUPR is still of sufficient value to actuate contact a of relay SUR. If the signal is of such value, contact a is reactuated to its closed position and, upon the release of back contact d of relay CA energy is again supplied to locking coil LC and the Winding of relay SUPR. If the signal supplied to coil SC has fallen below the prescribed value, when contact a of relay SUR opens due to the energy being removed from coil LC, said contact a will remain open and relay SUPR will release folloWing the termination of its slow-release period. The release of relay SUPR terminates the code generating action of relays CA and CE. The purpose of relays SUR and SUPR, and relay ADR and ADPR will becomemore apparent during the operational examples of my invention hereinafter described.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the windings of potentiometers TFIPOT, TFZPOT and TFZPOT are each connected across terminals B and N of the battery and the wiper arms of potentiometers TFIPOT, TFZPOT and TFSPOT are selectively connected through contacts e of relays 1C, 2C and 3C, respectively, to a conductor designated 15, which connects to terminal b of relay SUR (FIG. 4) and also through a blocking rectifier REZ to terminal a of relay ADR. The winding of potentiometer SVZPOT (FIG. 4) is connected across terminals B and N of the battery, as previously described, and a circuit may be traced from the arm of that potentiometer to terminal g of servomechanism SVM, and thence over front contact b of time delay relay lTER to terminal b of relay ADR and through a blocking rectifier RBI to terminal a of relay SUR.

For the purpose of providing an example of the operation of the circuit schemes just described, I will assume that relay 1C is energized, thereby closing its front contact e (FIG. 5) and connecting the arm of potentiometer TFlPOT to conductor 15, and I will further assume that relay lT'ER is picked up, closing its front contact b. If at this time, the settings of the arms of potentiometers SVZPOT and TFIPOT are such that a greater positive potential is supplied to the arm of SVZPOT than to the arm of TFIPOT, a signal comprising a flow of current will fiow from terminal g of servomechanism SYM over front contact b of relay lTER, through rectifier RE1 in its low resistance direction, terminal a of relay SUR, the signal coil of relay SUR, terminal b of relay SUR, conductor 15, front contact e of relay 1C, and the arm and winding of potentiometer TFIPOT to battery terminal N. Under these conditions relay SUR is actuated in the manner previously described. If, on the other hand, the settings of the arms of potentiometers SVZPOT and TFlPOT are such that the positive potential appearing at the arm of TFIPOT is greater than that appearing at the arm of SVZPOT, then the signal or current will flow from the arm of potentiometer TFlPOT, through front contact e of relay 1C, conductor 15, rectifier RE2 in its low resistance direction, the signal coil of relay ADR, front contact b of relay lTER, terminal g of servomechanism SVM, and through the arm and winding of potentiometer SVZPOT and terminal f of servomechanism SVM to terminal N of the battery. At this time, relay ADR is actuated in a manner similar to that previously described for relay SUR. It is thus apparent that, if the arms of potentiometers SV2POT and TFlPOT have equal settings at the time front contacts b of relay lTER and e of relay 1C are closed, then no signals are produced, that is, no current flows in the circuits just described and neither of the relays SUR or ADR is actuated.

Contacts e of relays 2C and 3C control circuits to the arms of potentiometers TFZPOT and TFSPOT, respectively, similar to that just described to the arm of potentiometer TFIPOT, and no detailed description or tracing of these circuits is considered necessary.

The outputs or signals from .potentiometers TFlPOT, TFZPOT and TF3POT (FIG. 5) are also selectively supplied over contacts of the switch control storage repeater relays WSlP and WSZP to computer apparatus designated CP. This computer apparatus forms no part of my present invention but is shown merely to make the description complete. Such apparatus may be considered to be similar to the group retarder leaving speed computer apparatus employed in the aforesaid Emil F. Brinker and David P. Fitzsimmons Patent No. 3,226,541. While I have shown an input, representing track fullness only, to computer CP, it is to be understood that additional inputs may also be supplied to the computer to obtain a leaving speed computation. For purposes of simplicity these additional inputs are not shown in the drawing.

As previously pointed out, leaving speed computations for each cut of cars are assumed to be made when the cut traverses track section CT (FIGS. 2 and 3) and, therefore, the outputs or signals from the potentiometers TFlPOT, TFZPOT and TF3POT selected by relays W811 and WSZP are supplied to computer CP when each respective cut traverses track section CT and until such cut enters track section R1T. A first circuit for supplying a track fullness signal to computer CP extends from the arm of potentiometer TFlPOT over the back point of contact b of relay WSlP, front contact a of track relay R1TR, and back contact b of relay CTR to input terminal a of computer OF. A terminal b on computer CP is shown connected to terminal N of the battery and thus the signal from the arm of potentiometer TF1POT appears across terminals a and b of the computer.

A second circuit for supplying a track fullness signal to computer CP extends from the arm of potentiometer TFZPOT over the back point of contact b of relay WSZP, the front point of contact b of relay WSIP, front contact a of relay RlTR, and back contact b of relay CTR to input terminal a of computer CP. A third circuit extends from the arm of potentiometer TF3POT over the front .point of contact b of relay WSZP, the front point of contact b of relay WSlP, front contact a of relay RITR, and back contact b of relay CTR to input terminal a of the computer, CP.

Since relay WS1P remains released, as previously described, when a cut traversing track section CT is destined for storage track 1T, the output signal from potentiometer TFlPOT is supplied to computer CP until the cut enters track section RlTR and track relay RlTR releases and opens its front contact a in the circuit to terminal a of computer CP. Similarly, when a cut traversing track section CT is to be routed to storage track 2T, relay WSIP becomes picked up and relay WSZP remains released and the output signal from potentiometer TFZPOT is supplied to computer CP until track relay R1TR is released by the entrance of the cut into track section RlT. When a cut traversing track section CT is destined for storage track 3T, relays WSlP and WSZP both become picked up and the output signal from potentiometer TF3POT is supplied to computer CP until relay RlTR is released by the entrance of the cut into track section RlT.

Having described the details of the apparatus of my invention, I will now describe the operation thereof as a whole.

It will be assumed that humping operations are in progress, that a number of car cuts have already been routed to their respective storage tracks, and that motors TIRST, T2RST and T3RST (FIG. 5) have been controlled, by the wheels of such cuts, to adjust each respective potentiometer TFlPOT, TFZPOT and TF3POT to a setting representative of the number of cars routed to the respective storage tracks 1T, 2T and 3T. It Will be further assumed that indicators T1VI T2VI and T3VI have been actuated by motors TIRST, TZRST and T3RST, respectively, to indicate the numbers 31, 23 and 40, respectively, representing the number of cars already routed to each respective track. The manner of so adjusting the potentiometers TFIPOT, TFZPOT and TFSPOT and controlling the visual indicators has been previously described but it should be further pointed out that such adjustment of each potentiometer results in an output signal or value of voltage at the arm of the respective potentiometer that is representative of the number of cars routed to the storage track with which the potentiometer is associated.

Assuming the continuation of humping operations and the entrance of a car cut, destined for storage track 1T, into track section A1T (FIG. 2), when track relay AITR is released by the first wheels and axle of the cut shunting the track circuit in A1T, back contact a of relay AlTR closes the pickup circuit for relay 13ASDR. The picking up of relay 1-3ASDR closes at the front point of its contact a the pickup circuit for relay 1-3A1CR since the cut is destined for storage track 1T. Relay 1-3A1CR becomes picked up and closes at its front contact a the pickup circuit for track destination relay 1C. The closing of front contact a of relay 1C (FIG. 2) closes the energizing circuit for relay ITER and relay 1TER begins its time delay period.

The closing of contact d of relay 1C (FIG. 3) connects the inputs of servomechanism SVM (FIG. 4) and of the rectifier RC (FIG. 3) across the rails of storage track IT, as previously described. If at this time a previous car cut is still moving in track 1T the varying voltage supplied from the track will produce an output from differentiator DIF which energizes signal coil SC of relay MDR. Assuming the voltage to be of sufiicient value, contact a of relay MDR is actuated and closes the energizing circuit for locking coil LC of relay MDR and the winding of relay MDPR. Relay MDPR therefore becomes picked up at this time. The picking up of relay MDPR and the opening of its back contact a (FIG. 2) in the energizing circuit for relay 1TER deenergizes that relay.

Due to the relatively slow response inherent in relay MDR and its associated control apparatus, relay ITER is employed to delay the completion of the circuit from output terminal g of servomechanism SVM to relays SUR and ADR (FIG. 4) until it has been definitely determined that there is no motion, that is, no movement of cars in the storage track then selected. The energization of relay MDPR in the example just described indicates car movement in track section 1T so that a true distance to travel measurement for track 1T could not be made at this time. Such measurement is, therefore, postponed until relay 1C again becomes picked up upon the approach of another car routed to track IT and no motion is detected in track 1T.

When relay MDPR becomes picked up, as described above, front contact 1 of relay 1C (FIG. 3) in the pickup circuit for relay MDPR maintains relay MDPR picked up and relay lTER deenergized. Therefore, no further operation of the apparatus takes place until the car cut vacates track section AIT. When the cut vacates track section A1T, relay AlTR again becomes picked up, and relays 1-3ASDR, 1-3A1CR, 1C and MDPR are, in turn, released. The apparatus is again in its normal condition.

It will be assumed that, while the first car out is between track sections A1T and CT, a second cut destined for storage track 2T enters track section A1T, and relay 13A2CR and, in turn, relay 2C become picked up. Relay lTER is energized at this time over front contact a of relay 2C. If there is no motion detected in storage track 2T when relay 2C becomes picked up, relay MDR remains unactuated and relay MDPR remains released. The voltage appearing across the rails of storage track 2T is supplied over front contact d of relay 2C and conductor 10 to input terminal a of servomechanism SVM and potentiometer SV2POT is adjusted, as previously outlined, so that there appears at the arm of the potentiometer a signal or a value of voltage representative of the distance to travel to coupling in track 2T. This signal is supplied to output terminal g of servomechanism SVM and, when the time delay period of relay 1TER expires, relay 1TER closes its front contact b and completes the previously described circuits from said terminal g to relays SUR and ADR. The time delay interval of relay lTER at this time insures the adjustment of potentiometer SVZPOT, in accordance with the measured distance to travel to coupling in track 2T, before the signal, if any, appearing at the arm of the potentiometer is supplied to relays SUR and ADR.

Assuming that the distance to travel to coupling in storage track 2T as determined by the impedance of track circuit in that track and the resultant response of servomechanism SVM, agrees with the track fullness as determined by the axle counting apparatus, potentiometers SVZPOT and TFZPOT (FIGS. 4 and 5) will have equal settings and there will be no signal supplied to relays SUR and ADR. Therefore, relays SUPR and ADPR remain released at this time.

I will now assume that the first car cut enters track section CT while the second car cut is in track section AIT. The entrance of the first cut into track section CT releases track relay CTR and relay A01 becomes picked up over its pickup circut including back contact a of relay CTR and the back point of contact of relay WSlP which remains released at this time since the cut is destined for storage track IT. The picking up of relay A01 completes the stick circuit for that relay providing no out occupies track section lAT in advance of storage track IT. The opening of back contact a of relay A01 in the first described energizing circuit for relay ITER has no effect at this time since the second cut is destined for storage track 2T and relay ITER is energized over its second pickup circuit including front contact a of relay 2C.

The output from potentiometer TFIPOT (FIG. is supplied to computer CP, while the first cut occupies the computer track section, over the circuit including the back point of contact b of relay WSIP and back contact b of relay CTR.

When the first cut enters track section IAT, contact a of relay IATR in the stick circuit for relay A01 opens and relay A01 releases. However, it is to be noted that the first energizing circuit for relay lTER cannot be closed so long as contact a of relay 1ATR remains open, that is, so long as the first ,cut occupies track section lAT.

If, when relay 2C becomes picked up by the entrance of the second car cut into track section AlT, as described above, there is no car motion detected in storage track 2T, relay MDR will remain unactuated and relay MDPR will remain released. 'Potentiometer SVZPOT in servomechanism SVM will be adjusted, as previously described, in accordance with the distance to travel to coupling measurement in storage track 2T, and it will be assumed that the new setting of potentiometer SVZPOT and the setting of potentiometer TFZPOT are out of agreement due, for example, to a series of unusual length cars being previously routed to storage track 2T.

When relay 1TER becomes picked up, following its time delay period, it closes its front contact b and the signals appearing at the arms of Potentiometers SVZPOT and TFZPOT are compared. If the setting of potentiometer SVZPOT is such that the signal appearing at its arm is positive relative to that appearing at the arm of potentiometer TFZPOT, relay SUR is actuated, closing its contact a and energizing relay SUPR. Relay ADR is not actuated at this time since flow of current through the signal coil SC of relay ADR is blocked by rectifier RE2. The actuation of relay SUR and energization of relay SUPR indicates that the track fullness as determined by the car or axle counting apparatus is in excess of the actual fullness and the settings of potentiometer TFZPOT and visual indicator TZVI must be revised in a direction to reduce the car count, that is, there must be a subtraction made in the count of the counting apparatus.

The picking up of relay SUPR closes front contact 0 of that relay in the energizing circuits to code generating relays CA and CB (FIG. 4), and those relays intermittently open and close their front and back contacts as previously described. Front contact b of relay SUPR (FIG. 5) prepares the previously described pulsing circuit to terminal 0 of motor TZRST, including front contacts c of relays CA and 2C, and the intermittent opening and closing of contact c of relay CA drives the rotor 2R of the motor. Rotor 2R drives the arm of potentiometer TFZPOT in a direction to bring the signal appearing at the arm of the potentiometer into agreement with that appearing at the arm of potentiometer SV2POT. At the same time indicator T2VI is driven by rotor 2R in a direction to reduce the car number indication displayed by that indicator.

When the setting of potentiometer TFZPOT is adjusted to or sufficiently near that of potentiometer SVZPOT, the difference between the signals appearing at the arms of the potentiometers will be sufficiently reduced (less than 1.5 v. for example) and signal coil SC of relay SUR will no longer be etfective to close contact a of that relay. Accordingly the next time back contact d of relay CA and back contact [2 of relay CB both open during the code generating operation of these relays and the locking coil LC of relay SUR is thereby deenergized, contact a of relay SUR becomes opened, and the locking coil LC and the winding of relay SUPR remain deenergized. Relay SUPR releases, following the expiration of its slow release period, and the pulsing circuit to motor TZRST is interrupted. At the same time the code generating operation of relays CA and CE is terminated.

Returning to the period when relay 20 becomes energized as described above and servomechanism SVM is actuated to adjust potentiometer SVZPOT to a setting in accordance with the distance to travel to coupling in storage track 2T, it will be assumed that such potentiometer is so adjusted by servomechanisrn SVM that the signal appearing at the arm of the potentiometer is below or less than that appearing at the arm of potentiometer TFZPOT, when said arms are connected for comparison 19 of such signals. Such connection takes place, as before, when front contact b of relay lTER closes.

Under the above assumed conditions the signal appearing at the arm of potentiometer TFZPOT is positive in respect to that appearing at the arm of potentiometer SV2POT and the resultant signal produced by the comparison of said signals energizes signal coil SC of relay ADR at this time, such signal being blocked from coil SC of relay SUR by rectifier REL Accordingly contact a of relay ADR is actuated to its closed position and relay ADPR becomes energized. The closing of front contact of relay ADPR closes the energizing circuit to code generating relays CA and CB and those relays begin their code generating operation.

At this time the pulsing circuit to contact a of motor TZRST is activated. This circuit includes front contact 17 of relay ADPR, front contact b of code generating relay CA, and front contact [2 of relay 2C (FIG. 3). The pulses of energy supplied to terminal a of motor TZRST drive the rotor of the motor in the opposite direction to that previously described, that is, in a direction to increase or add to the track fullness count for track 2 as reflected by the settings of potentiometer TFZPOT and indicator T2VI. When the settings or adjustments of potentiometers TF2POT and SV2POT are sufiiciently in agreement, contact a of relay ADR opens and relay ADPR subsequently releases. The pulsing of motor T2RST is terminated.

By the above description it is readily understood that relays SUR and ADR and their respective associated relays SUPR and ADPR form a signal comparator or signal comparing means which compares the signals provided thereto from potentiometer SV2POT and each selected one of the potentiometers TFIPOT, TFZPOT and TFSPOT, and derives a resultant pulsing signal representative of the difference between the compared signals.

When the second car cut referred to above vacates track section AlT, relay 13ASDR is again released, and relays 1-3A2CR and 2C also release in turn. The release of relay 2C deenergizes relay lTER and the apparatus is again in its normal condition. When the second car out enters computer track section CT, track relay CTR releases and, the out being destined for storage track 2T, the pickup circuit for area occupancy relay A02, including the front point of contact 0 of relay WS1P and the back point of contact 0 of relay WSZP, is closed and relay A02 becomes picked up. When relay A02 becomes picked up, it completes its stick circuit including front contact a of track relay 2ATR.

If a third car cut, destined for storage track 2T, enters track section A1T while the second cut is in track section CT or is between track sections CT and 2AT, relay 2C becomes picked up as before and prepares the energizing circuit for relay ITER. However, such energizing circuit is maintained open at the back point of contact a of relay A02 at this time. Similarly, when the second cut enters track section 2AT, the stick circuit for relay A02 is interrupted and relay A02 releases, but the energizing circuit for relay lTER remains interrupted at the open front contact a of relay 2ATR. Relay 1TER, therefore, remains deenergized, under such conditions. When the second car cut has entered storage track 2T the detection of the movement of the cut in that track energizes relay MDR and, in turn, relay MDPR, and relay ITER still remains deenergized. Thus, at this time no distance to travel correction for storage track 2T is made in response to the entrance of said third cut into track section AlT, unless the second cut stops in storage track 2T before the third cut vacates track section A1T.

By the above description it may be readily understood that area occupancy relay A01 prevents a distance to travel correction for storage track 1T when a car out is destined for that storage track and is traversing the track stretch between the entrance end of track section CT and the entrance end of track section lAT. Track relay lATR prevents a distance to travel correction for storage track IT when the car out traverses track section 1AT. After the cut enters storage track IT, a distance to travel correction is prevented by the motion detector until the cut comes to rest. Similarly, relays A02 and ZATR, and the motion detector prevent a distance to travel correction for storage track 2T when a car cut is destined for that track and is traversing the track stretch between the entrance end of track section CT and the exit end of track section 2AT, or is moving in storage track 2T. Relays A03 and 3ATR, and the motion detector prevent a distance to travel correction for storage track 3T under similar conditions. The area occupancy relays and track relays IATR, ZATR and 3ATR thus insure that the track fullness information for a storage track as indicated by the car counting apparatus for that track will not be corrected while a car cut destined for that track is between the wheel actuated contactor TRC and the storage track. If at such time, a distance to travel correction were permitted, the cars in said cut would be disregarded in such correction, and an invalid correction and invalid track fulness information would result.

By the description of the operation of the apparatus of my invention thus far set forth, it is apparent that by employing such apparatus, a track fullness system may be furnished wherein continuous signals each indicative of the track fullnes of an associated storage track in a classification yard, are provided, each such signal being proportionate to the number of cars routed to the respective storage track or to the number of car spaces remaining in such track, and each signal being adjusted by wheel or car counting apparatus when additional cuts of cars are routed to each respective track; and, further, wherein each said signal is corrected in accordance with a distance to travel determination or measurement made when a cut, destined for the storage track for which said signal is provided, has entered the yard; providing that such correction is required, that no previous cut is between said counting apparatus and said storage track, and that at the time of such measurement or determination no car movement is detected in the storage track. Each such signal thus provided and periodically corrected may be supplied to computer apparatus, employed in the modern gravity type railway car classification yards for computing the correct leaving speed for each cut of railway cars when leaving a car retarder located in the route to the respective storage track for the cut; or such signals may be employed to more accurately control devices indicating track fullness or car space available in railway car storage tracks.

The supervisory manual correction part of my system is controlled by push buttons 1PB, 2P-B and 3PB shown in FIG. 2 and previously discussed. Each of these buttons may be depressed to energize the associated track destination relay 10, 2C or 3C when an operator desires to make a track fullness correction for a selected track in accordance with a distance to travel measurement in that track. The back point of contact a of relay 1-3ASDR (FIG. 2) in the circuits controlled by the push buttons prevents the actuation of a manual correction when an automatic correction has been initiated by a car out traversing track section A1T. When relay 1-3ASDR is released the depressing of any one of the push buttons energizes the corresponding track destination relay, as pointed out, and thereafter the apparatus of my invention operates identically to the manner described when such destination relay was automatically energized by the entrance of a car cut into track section AlT. Therefore, no further detailed description of the supervisory manual correction arrangement is necessary.

From this description it is apparent that with apparatus of my invention, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 5 of the drawings, a composite track fullnes system is provided which continuously provides a signal for each storage track in a railway car classification yard, each said signal normally being adjusted in accordance with the number of cars routed to the respective storage track, and each said signal being corrected, if required, in accordance with a distance to travel to coupling measurement, such measurement being made for the respective storage track when a cut destined for such track has entered the yard. My invention thus provides an economical track fullness system wherein provision is made for unusual length cars, cars that stop short of coupling in their respective storage tracks, cars that are routed to a storage track but have not yet reached the entrance end of such track, and for cars that may be proceeding towards coupling with the preceding cars in their respective storage track and have not yet come to rest.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A track fullness system for a storage track in a railway car classification yard comprising, means for producing a first signal proportional to the quantity of cars routed to said track; means for producing, in response to the entrance into said yard of a car to be routed to said track, a second signal proportional to the distance to travel to the nearest car in the track; and means for controlling the first signal producing means to produce an adjusted first signal in accordance with the value of said second signal if and only if all previous cars routed to said track have entirely entered the track and have stopped.

2. In a railway car classification yard comprising a single track leading to a plurality of storage tracks and provided with a track fullness system including a wheel counting device in said single track for selectively actuating car counting means for each storage track, the combination comprising, means controlled by each counting means for driving a first signal for the corresponding storage track proportional to the number of cars routed to such track; means responsive to the passage of a car cut in approach of said device in said single track for deriving a second signal proportional to the distance to the nearest car standing in the storage track to which said car cut is to be routed; occupancy means controlled by the passage of a car cut along its route for recording the presence of that cut moving between said approach track and the storage track to which that cut is routed, means having connections to said first and second signal deriving means and controlled by said occupancy means for comparing the first and second signals derived for the storage track to which said car cut is to be routed only when said occupancy means indicates the absence of a previous cut routed to that storage track, means controlled by said comparing means for deriving a third signal in proportion to the difference between the compared signals, and means actuated by said third signal for adjusting the first signal deriving means for the storage track to which the car cut is to be routed to provide a first signal equivalent to the actual space remaining in that storage track.

3. A track fullness system for a storage track in a railway car classification yard comprising, means in approach of said storage track for counting the quantity of cars routed to such track, means responsive to said counting means for producing a first signal proportionate to said quantity; means in approach of said counting means, responsive to the passage of a car routed to said storage track, for producing a second signal proportionate to the distance to travel to the nearest car in the storage track; means for producing a third signal proportionate to the difierence between the first and second signals, only providing any previous cars routed to said storage track have entirely entered that track and have come to rest; and means controlled by said third signal for actuating said counting means to adjust the first signal producing means to produce a corrected first signal in accordance with the value of said second signal.

4. A track fullness system for a railway car classification yard including a single track leading to a plurality of storage tracks, said system comprising, -a wheel actuated device in said single track, means for each storage track actuated by said device for counting the number of cars routed to that storage track, means for each storage track actuated by the counting means for that storage track for producing a first signal proportionate to the number of cars routed to such track, a track destination relay for each said storage track; means in said single track, in approach of said wheel actuated device and controlled by each car cut traversing the single track, for energizing the track destination relay for the storage track to which that car cut is to be routed; means controlled by each track destination relay when energized for producing a second signal proportionate to the distance to travel to the nearest car standing in the corresponding storage track; means for comparing the first and second signals produced for each storage track and producing a resultant signal proportionate to the difference between such compared signals; means responsive to each cut moving to a storage track and having connections to said comparing means for interrupting the production of said resultant signal when a previous cut is still enroute between the approach to said device and the corresponding storage track; and means controlled by each resultant signal and by said destination relays for controlling said first signal producing means corresponding to the energized destination relay to adjust the existing first signal to compare with said produced second signal.

5. A track fullness system for a railway car classification yard including a single track connecting through track switches to a plurality of storage tracks, said system comprising, means in said single track for selectively producing a first signal for each storage track proportionate to the quantity of cars routed to that storage track; means in approach of said first signal producing means in said single track, responsive to the entrance of each car cut into the single track, for producing a second signal proportionate to the distance to the nearest car in the storage track to which the car cut is destined; and means for controlling the first signal producing means to produce an adjusted first signal in accordance with the value of corresponding second signal only providing that all previous cars routed to the corresponding storage track have entirely entered that track and have come to rest.

6. A track fullness system for a railway car classification yard including a plurality of storage tracks comprising, means for producing a first signal for each storage track proportional to the quantity of cars routed to that track; means responsive to the entrance of each car cut into said yard for producing a second signal proportional to the distance to travel in the storage track to which the cut is to be routed, means responsive to each produced second signal for adjusting the corresponding first signal means to produce a corrected first signal in accord with said second signal, and means responsive only to a previous out still moving between said yard entrance and its final position in the track corresponding to said produced second signal for interrupting the adjusting of the corresponding first signal producing means when such a moving car is detected.

7. A track fullness system for the storage tracks in a railway car classification yard including a single track connecting to said storage tracks, said system comprising, a source of potential, means in said single track for adjusting outputs from said source each in proportion to the quantity of cars routed to a different one of the storage tracks; and means responsive to the entrance of each car cut into said yard for correcting the output for the storage track to which such cut is to be routed, each correction being made in accordance with the distance to travel to the nearest car in such storage track, only providing that any previous cuts which were routed to that storage track and which have passed said output adjusting means have entirely entered the storage track and have stopped.

8. A track fullness system for the storage tracks in a railway car classification yard including a single track leading to said storage tracks, said system comprising, a wheel actuated device at a selected point in said single track, a counting device for each storage track; means controlled by said wheel actuated device, when a car cut passes said selected point, for actuating the counting device for the storage track to Which such cut is routed; means controlled by each counting device for adjusting a first output from a source of potential proportionate to the quantity of cars counted by that device, means responsive to the entrance of each car cut into said single track for adjusting a second output from said source of potential proportionate to the distance to travel to the nearest car in the storage track to which such car out is routed, means associated with said second output means for detecting if another cut is still moving in that storage track, means for comparing the first and second outputs for a selected storage track when a particular cut routed to said selcted track enters said single track, means responsive to the occupancy of the route to said selected track for indicating if a preceding cut is still moving along that route, said movement detection means and said occupancy indicating means having joint connections for interrupting the comparison of said first and second outputs for said selected track when movement is detected in that track or when said route is occupied, means responsive to each comparison of said first and second outputs by said comparing means for producing a signal in accordance with the result of the comparison, and means responsive to each produced signal for readjusting the corresponding first output from said source of potential in accordance with said second output.

9. A track fullness system for a classification yard including a plurality of storage tracks comprising, a source of potential, a potentiometer for each storage track each having its winding connected across the terminals of the potential source, means controlled by the quantity of cars routed to each storage track for adjusting the wiper arm of the corresponding potentiometer proportionately to such quantity, circuit means controlled by the passage of a car out at a preselected point in the approach to the storage track to which that cut is to be routed and connected for reading out the potential appearing at the wiper arm of the potentiometer corresponding to such track to control further movement of that car cut into its selected storage track, another potentiometer having its winding connected across the terminals of the potential source, means controlled by the entrance of each car cut into said yard for adjusting the wiper arm of said other potentiometer proportionately to the distance to the nearest car in the storage track to whichthe car cut is to be routed, an electrically actuable device selectively sensitive to the directions and values of potentials; another circuit means controlled by the entrance of each car cut into said yard for actuably connecting said device in series with the wiper arm of said other potentiometer and the wiper arm of the potentiometer for the storage track to which the car out then entering the yard is to be routed, said other circuit means including a contact closed only when all prior car cuts routed to that storage track have entirely entered that track and have come to rest; and means controlled by said device, when actuated, for selectively readjusting the wiper arm of the potentiometer for the storage track to which the car out then entering the yard is to be routed until the output potential appearing at such wiper arm is equal to the output potential then appearing at the wiper arm of said other potentiometer.

10. In a railway car classification yard including a stretch of single track leading to a plurality of storage tracks, a system for providing a signal for each storage track representative of the track fullness of such storage track, said system comprising, a source of electrical energy, a potentiometer for each storage track each having its winding connected across the terminals of said energy source, another potentiometer having its winding connected across the terminals of said energy source, means responsive to the passage of each car out by a predetermined point in said track stretch for selecting the potentiometer for the storage track to which the cut is to be routed and adjusting the wiper arm of that potentiometer in accordance with the quantity of cars in the cut, means responsive to the initial entrance of each car out into said track stretch for adjusting the wiper arm of said other potentiometer in accordance with the distance to the nearest car in the storage track to which the cut is to be routed, motion detection means associated with said distance means for indicating when car movement is still occurring in the storage track to which said entering cut is to be routed, occupancy detection means for each storage track for recording the passage of a car cut between another point in approach to said predetermined point and the entrance of the corresponding storage track, an energy comparing device selectively responsive to the direction and value of electrical energy; circuit means responsive to said initial entrance of each car cut into said track stretch and controlled by said motion detection means and said occupancy detection means for selecting the potentiometer for the selected storage track to which the cut is to be routed and connecting the wiper arm of that potentiometer in series with the wiper arm of said other potentiometer and supplying the diiference in electrical energy appearing at such Wiper arms to said energy comparing device only when no motion is detected in the selected storage track and no previous cut routed to that selected storage track is occupying the route between said other point and the entrance of said selected storage track means controlled by said energy comparing device for readjusting the wiper arm of the potentiometer for the selected storage track until the electrical energy appearing at that wiper arm equals the electrical energy then appearing at the wiper arm of said other potentiometer and circuit means controlled by the passage of said car out in approach of said predetermined point and connected for reading out the electrical energy appearing at the wiper arm of said potentiometer for the selected storage track to control the movement of that cut while enroute to that storage track.

References Cited Siemens and Halski Aktiengesellschaft (Willy Kuhl), German application, Ser. No. S 36,853, printed Nov. 3, 1955.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

JAMES S. SHANK, Examiner.

S. T. KRAWCEWICZ, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TRACK FULLNESS SYSTEM FOR A STORAGE TRACK IN A RAILWAY CAR CLASSIFICATION YARD COMPRISING, MEANS FOR PRODUCING A FIRST SIGNAL PROPORTIONAL TO THE QUANTITY OF CARS ROUTED TO SAID TRACK; MEANS FOR PRODUCING, IN RESPONSE TO THE ENTRANCE INTO SAID YARD OF A CAR TO BE ROUTED TO SAID TRACK, A SECOND SIGNAL PROPORTIONAL TO THE DISTANCE TO TRAVEL TO THE NEAREST CAR IN THE TRACK; AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FIRST SIGNAL PRODUCING MEANS TO PRODUCE AN ADJUSTED FIRST SIGNAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VALUE OF SAID SECOND SIGNAL IF AND ONLY IF ALL PREVIOUS CARS ROUTED TO SAID TRACK HAVE ENTIRELY ENTERED THE TRACK AND HAVE STOPPED. 